The South African cricket team defeated Pakistan by 11 runs in the opening match of the three-match T20 series.
Batting first, South Africa set Pakistan a target of 184 runs to win. The Pakistan team, in response, managed to score 172 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 20 overs.
The first T20I between Pakistan and South Africa took place in Durban, where South African captain Heinrich Klaasen won the toss and chose to bat.
South Africa out up 183/9 in their 20 overs. David Miller and George Linde were the top scorers, with 82 and 48 runs, respectively.
Heinrich Klaasen was dismissed for 12, Reeza Hendricks for 8, and Rassie van der Dussen for seven.
For Pakistan, Shaheen Afridi and Abrar Ahmed each took three wickets. Abbas Afridi claimed two wickets, while Sufyan Muqeem took one.
Pakistan’s squad for the first T20I against South Africa included captain Mohammad Rizwan, Babar Azam, Saim Ayub, Usman Khan, Tayyab Tahir, and Mohammad Irfan Khan Niazi. In addition, Abbas Afridi, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Haris Rauf, Sufyan Muqeem, and Abrar Ahmed were also part of the national team for this match.
Chasing the target of 184 in the second innings, Pakistan’s response fell short as they finished with 172/8 in their 20 overs.
Captain Mohammad Rizwan was the standout performer for Pakistan, scoring 74 runs off 62 balls. Saim Ayub contributed 31, while Tayyab Tahir added 18 runs.
Babar Azam was dismissed without scoring, and no other Pakistani batsman reached double figures.
George Linde took four wickets for South Africa, while Migael Maphaka claimed two. Othniel Baartman and Andile Phehlukwayo each took one wicket.
Shaheen Afridi makes history as the first Pakistani to take 100 wickets in every format
Pakistan cricket team’s fast bowler, Shaheen Afridi, became the country’s first player to take 100 wickets in T20 Internationals.
He achieved this feat in the first T20I against South Africa in Durban on December 10, becoming the third Pakistani player to take 100 wickets in men’s T20 Internationals.
In addition to his T20I success, Shaheen has claimed 112 wickets in One Day Internationals (ODIs) and 116 wickets in Test cricket.
The other two Pakistani bowlers to reach a 100-wicket mark in T20 Internationals are Haris Rauf and Shadab Khan.
The match
The first T20 match between Pakistan and South Africa is scheduled for today, December 10, 2024, at Kingsmead Stadium in Durban. The game will start at 9:00 PM Pakistan Standard Time.
Heinrich Klaasen will lead the Proteas side, as Aiden Markram is being rested to focus on the upcoming Test series. Key players Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, and Tristan Stubbs are also being rested for the T20 series but will participate in the One-Day Internationals. Anrich Nortje and Tabraiz Shamsi return to the T20 squad, with George Linde making a comeback after three years.
On the other hand, the Pakistani squad is led by Mohammad Rizwan, with notable players including Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, and Haris Rauf. The team aims to build on recent performances and start the series on a positive note.
Tax advisory and consultancy firm Tola Associates has said in an Economy Alert note released on Wednesday that the average rupee-dollar value would be 211.5 rupees instead of the current 277 rupees by the end of October this year if International Monetary Fund (IMF) conditions were excluded, The News reported.
However, the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), responsible under the law for managing the exchange rate regime, has long been arguing that the current rupee-dollar parity is as per market conditions.
According to the advisory firm, Pakistani rupees have been traded at a higher value for the past three years, severely affecting the Pakistani economy.
As per the advisory firm, had the rupee been trading around its estimated three-year average of (Rs211 =1$), the average 8.7 per cent inflation for the July-October period could have turned into deflation of 4.67 per cent.
In September 2024, following a staff-level agreement between Pakistan and the IMF in July 2024, the executive board of the Fund approved Pakistan’s long-awaited $7 billion loan programme that will last 37 months and help boost Pakistan’s economic doldrums.
Inflation has fallen to 4.9 per cent as compared to 40 per cent in May 2023.
The advisory firm further estimates that a one per cent decline in interest rate would decrease domestic debt repayment by Rs475 billion in the current fiscal year.
Former chairman of the Reform and Revenue Mobilisation Commission Ashfaq Tola told The News on Wednesday that if there were no IMF conditions about the exchange rate, the rupee would not have been equivalent to Rs278 to a dollar in 2023-24, stressing that it would also have been much lower in the preceding year.
He said that following the IMF’s condition, the rupee was trading around Rs238 to a dollar in September 2022, but within the first week of Ishaq Dar’s tenure as Finance Minister, the dollar sank to Rs218 without any fundamental economic changes.
Stock exchange market experts criticised the central bank for claiming benefits from an undervalued rupee by purchasing dollars from the open market in the absence of major foreign debt-related inflows.
In the last fiscal year, the central bank bought over $6 billion from the market, which was only possible due to the undervalued rupee. In July alone, the central bank bought about $722 million from the local market, The News added.
An alleged “porn attack” by unknown cybercriminals during an online meeting of the Pakistan Embassy in the United States (US) has left the internet divided.
As per the details, Ambassador Rizwan Saeed Sheikh on November 18 hosted a virtual town hall meeting with members of the Pakistani community in the US. The aim of the meeting was to engage with Pakistani expats in the US and address their consular-related concerns.
The Zoom meeting, however, was interrupted by a “cyberattack playing offensive/obscene material violating all norms of civility and decency”, the embassy said in an official statement.
“Regrettably, the E-Kacheri [town hall meeting] hosted by the Mission yesterday was interrupted by a cyber-attack playing offensive/obscene material violating all norms of civility and decency [sic],” the statement read.
It added that the embassy disconnected the meeting and resumed it shortly after removing the disruptor.
“The matter was explained to the participants, who also condemned the incident, which is under investigation. Attempts to politicize, abuse, and exploit a forum purely facilitative for the diaspora, and motivated attempts to twist facts are unfortunate, counterproductive, and should be avoided,” it added, maintaining that the embassy remained resolutely committed to serving the diaspora.
The statement from Pakistan’s mission in the US came as participants took to social media and alleged that the embassy had “faked” the attack to evade tough questions aimed at the ambassador.
“At the virtual town hall [with] @PakinUSA, I asked Ambassador Sheikh how he could sleep at night representing an autocratic regime that cracked down on pro-democracy activists, targeted women and children, and disappeared HR defenders?” Mehlaqa Samdani, a Pakistani expat who attended the meeting, posted on X.
“Rather than respond as one would to a concerned Pakistani-American, he spoke to me as if I were a representative of the US government. He said and I paraphrase: ‘No country should have the audacity to lecture us on good governance/human rights, especially those who support Israel, those with the largest budget deficits in the world, and those financed by the rest of the world through currency reserves’,” she added.
Samdani went on to claim that the meeting was interrupted when she asked a follow-up question. “When I tried to ask a follow-up question, the town hall was conveniently ‘hacked’ with pornographic material, and the meeting had to be shut down.”
Samdani’s account of the meeting has sparked a debate among netizens over the veracity of the cyberattack.
Infamous riverine bandit and social media personality Shahid Lund Baloch was killed in a police encounter in a joint operation by Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur police forces on Friday, while Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) followers expressed regret over his death.
Baloch, a notorious criminal, had recently established his own social media presence, where he expressed his views on the socio-political affairs in the country while expressing his support for Bushra Bibi and Khan.
In a short clip of Shahid Baloch being shared by PTI followers on social media, the dacoit stated, “You people are warning me that ‘Vigo people’ would abduct me; let me make it clear for you guys, nobody can do anything like that in our territory. They would have to pay for it. All of you PTI supporters, whether you’re in or outside the country, you people are in my heart.”
“You [PTI followers] people have experienced the worst of oppression by the state. Quran tells us that even if you’re fighting kafirs, women and children must never be involved. But our government leaders have targeted your woman and children as well,” remarked the bandit.
Baloch was wanted by police for over 28 major offences, including the killing of police personnel, terrorism, kidnapping for ransom, attacks on police, murder, and armed robbery. Numerous cases against him were registered across various police stations in the Rahim Yar Khan and Rajanpur districts.
However, Baloch’s social media presence garnered support from some netizens as he shared his perspective on numerous topics, including the human rights situation in Balochistan. When Mahrang Baloch was leading a long march in Islamabad for the rights of missing persons, Shahid recorded a video in which he stated, “We have no connection with them, but our Baloch tradition teaches us to stand for truth. I urge the Baloch people to wake up and fight for their rights. It’s better to die fighting oppression and injustice than sitting in your homes. We ourselves are helpless and trapped in these jungles while thousands of accusations are put on us by the state; otherwise, I would march to Islamabad myself, along with hundreds of followers, to make this movement a success.”
The outlaw was an open supporter of PTI while, in one video, even warned the institutions, saying, “Army and ISI, listen to me. If you try to kill Imran Khan, you will not be spared. God bless Pakistan.”
In another audio clip that went viral on social media, a man, allegedly Shahid Lund Baloch, could be heard asking for the establishment of a children’s school in the riverine area. “I wanted to request that you promise me that a school will be built for the children and that people will be happy to hear the news. If this problem isn’t solved, then it would be a shame for us. At least 35 children are waiting for your help. Apart from that, more children near our area need education,” stated the man in the audio.
One social media user posted on X, “He was definitely a bandit, but he was also a victim of social and economic inequality.”
Another user posted, “Today, for the first time after hearing the news of the death of bandit Shahid Lind Baloch, I visited his YouTube channel 11 hours ago he shared this video. May Allah forgive you. Amen.”
A PTI leader from Kohat, Aman Afridi, posted, “For 30 years, he was a robber and robbed the common people; no one said anything. Now, guess for yourself, it is not a difficult task to eliminate the criminals who commit theft, robbery and murder around us, but we common people are not included in the interest system of the elites, so this system never moves with our theft, robbery or murder. Shahid Lund Baloch could have lived longer if he had shared in the loot instead of challenging this criminalized system. Copy.”
Another PTI follower by the handle username meddy tweets condemned the death of Baloch, writing, “We will write Shahid Lund Baloch as Shaheed. May Allah forgive him.”
One user wrote: “Shahid Lund Baloch Shaheed. They killed him because he was speaking the truth, speaking the truth bluntly to unholy powers. They killed him because people were listening to him. #ShahidLundBaloch Rest in Peace.”
PTI followers also shared another recent clip of the outlaw with PTI flags in the background in which he said, “I pay my respects to Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi. She has suffered so much with patience. She is a pious woman and any allegations against her character by the government are useless. She has been released from Adiala Jail, and InshaAllah, Imran Khan will be released soon as well.”
In one of the most interesting posts by a netizen, user Azeem Sabzwari had described the historical and cultural significance of local vigilantes or outlaws. In a long thread on September 2, Sabzwari narrated: “This reminds me of Malangi (1890s – 1927), who was a bandit during the British occupation of Punjab. He was known as ‘Robinhood’ in his native district of Kasur. Punjab has a folklore tradition of appreciating bandits who defied the British occupiers & sided with the commoners.”
“Dacoits or bandits emerge out of a political context. Nizam Lohar and Malangi were both products of the feudalisation of Punjabi society by the British. The same is true of Shahid Lund Baloch who will either be killed or co-opted by those at the helm in Punjab of Pakistan,” predicted this social media user two months ago.
Pakistan’s seven billion dollar loan programme has fallen into jeopardy as the country fails to fulfil the requirements of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), journalist Shahbaz Rana revealed on October 31.
Rana said that IMF had directed the Pakistan government to collect around PKR 13,000 billion in taxes for the ongoing fiscal year.
Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has failed to collect the targeted tax for the first quarter (July to September), leaving PKR 90 Billion tax shortfalls despite securing advance taxes from several companies, he added.
As per the IMF’s direction, the Pakistani government was only able to collect 10 lac rupees from the traders for the first quarter of the year instead of the IMF-described target of PKR 10 billion rupees.
Chief Minister (CM) Punjab Maryam Nawaz’s subsidizing in the province has been directly or indirectly impacting the IMF loan programme, Shahbaz Rana maintained.
Earlier, the Punjab CM had announced a 14 rupees electricity unit subsidy for two months in the province by cutting the development budget.
Journalists also observed that during the ongoing second quarter (October to December), the government might again fail to collect the targeted tax and may face a PKR 300-350 billion shortfall.
The government will face more than PKR 400 Billion tax shortfall in the first six months of the three-year loan programme, which will definitely impact the IMF programme’s longevity, Rana predicted.
All provinces failed to achieve a total cash surplus budget of PKR 342 Billion, achieving PKR 160 Billion for the first quarter.
Furthermore, the IMF again urged Pakistan to allow a further devaluation of the rupee, despite Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s belief that the currency has already been devalued by at least 16 per cent, Rana concluded.
Seven people, including five schoolchildren, a police officer and a passerby, were killed in a blast on Friday morning near Civil Hospital Chowk in Mastung, Balochistan.
“So far, seven individuals have been martyred, including five school students, and 17 others have sustained injuries,” Kalat Division Commissioner Naeem Bazai confirmed to the press.
According to the commissioner, the blast occurred at around 8:35 am near a high school for girls at Mastung Civil Hospital Chowk.
“It appears that an IED [improvised explosive device] attached to a motorcycle was detonated near a police mobile,” he said.
Mastung District Police Officer (DPO) Miandad Umrani said the explosion damaged a police van and multiple auto-rickshaws present near the site of the attack.
District Headquarters Hospital (DHQ) Medical Superintendent Nisar Ahmad Baloch told a private media outlet that 30 injured, mostly schoolchildren, were currently being treated at the DHQ as well as Nawab Hospital in Mastung.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif and Balochistan Chief Minister (CM) Sarfraz Bugti have condemned the blast.
“We will avenge the murder of innocent children and people. The menace of terrorism can only be fought with unity,” CM Bugti wrote.
A speeding SUV collided with a car and rammed motorcyclists in the Karsaz area of Karachi on August 19 evening, killing a father-daughter duo and injuring a few others. Police arrested the woman driver, identified as Natasha, who is said to be from an influential background and possessed a British driving licence.
Several clips of the incident have come to light so far, showing Natasha’s route and how she was taken into police custody after the accident.
Update
Natasha Danish acquitted in Karsaz accident case
Natasha Danish, the main suspect in the Karsaz accident case, was acquitted by the City Court of Karachi on Thursday.
At today’s hearing, the defence lawyer told the court that Natasha is ill and so she cannot appear in front of the court. Upon which, the court ordered that the accused should be produced before the court by 2 o’clock, and the hearing was adjourned till then.
Later, affidavits submitted in the court by the victims’ families were accepted by the court, acquitting the accused from the case.
Daily Pakistan reported that the families of the victims have submitted an affidavit in the court in which they mentioned that they have forgiven Natasha for the sake of Allah.
Geo News also reported that Natasha was acquitted after a settlement was reached by the family of the deceased.
During the hearing, apart from the family members of the victim, families of the injured persons were also present in the court. The hearing was adjourned till October 31.
Natasha granted bail for one million in drug case
The Sindh High Court has granted bail to Natasha Danish, the main suspect in the Karsaz fatal accident that killed a father and daughter, for driving under the influence of drugs.
Justice Abdul Kareem Khan Agha of Sindh High Court heard the bail application in the drug case while Barrister Farooq H. Naik appeared in the court on her behalf.
The lawyer contended, “Our application for bail in one of the FIRs pertaining the death of father and daughter has already been approved.”
The public prosecutor, however, stressed that Natasha was under the influence of alcohol when she was driving, to which Farooq H. Naik said that the medical report is also ambiguous because methamphetamine was not present in the blood but was present in the urine.
The court asked the public prosecutor about the amount of methamphetamine present in the urine sample to which the public prosecutor said that the medical report did not mention the quantity.
Advocate Farooq H. Naik said, “My client has been undergoing treatment from a psychiatrist for years, it is also possible that some medicine has been given which has been mentioned in the medical report.”
Justice Agha remarked that it is important to mention that the victims of this case have reconciled with the accused while the accused is also a mother of three children and has been in jail since the last one and a half months.
After hearing the arguments of both parties, the judge approved the bail in the anti-narcotics case.
The court ordered Natasha to submit a bond of Rs 10 lac.
Natasha’s bail plea rejected again
The bail plea of Natasha Danish, the main suspect in the accident that killed a father and daughter on Karsaz Road in Karachi, has been rejected yet again in the drug use.
Additional District and Sessions Judge East Shahid Ali Memon heard the case today related to driving under the influence of drugs. The court rejected the bail application, stating that the reasons for the rejection of the bail application will be given in the written order.
The verdict was reserved after today’s hearing.
Natasha Danish’s lawyer Aamir Mansoob Qureshi had argued that, as a matter of principle, only one case should be registered for a single incident.
However, State prosecutor Syed Khursheed Abbas Bukhari stated that the bail application, arguing that the case was still under investigation as the final charge sheet is yet to be submitted to the court.
Earlier, Judicial Magistrate East Muhammad Raza Ansari also rejected the bail application of the accused during the last hearing, stating that this will have a negative impact on society.
Judge dismisses Natasha’s bail plea in drug case
Natasha’s lawyer on Monday challenged the judicial magistrate’s decision to dismiss their petition seeking bail in the drugs case associated with the Karsaz accident case.
In today’s hearing, the judicial magistrate denied post-arrest bail to Natasha Danish in a drug case which was filed against her by the police as her medical report showed traces of methamphetamine (crystal meth), commonly known as ice, in her urine.
However, Natasha’s lawyer challenged the decision in the sessions court, arguing that the judicial magistrate overlooked pivotal evidence in the bail petition.
During the last hearing on September 6, the suspect was pardoned by the families of two victims killed in the accident when her car hit their motorbike.
The lawyer had argued that the investigating officer “manipulated blood and urine samples” taken from his client.
The court reserved its order.
The order, given today by Judge Mohammad Raza Ansari, said that Danish’s lawyer could not satisfy the court regarding section 11 (drinking liable to tazir) of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order (PEHO) of 1979 stressing that the claim of blood and urine samples being manipulated was false.
“There is nothing as such in the police’s file,” the court said.
The court said that the nine objections raised by the suspect’s family had “no legal value”, adding that it was surprising that a “highly educated woman” was driving under the influence of drugs.
The judge remarked that granting the suspect bail in the drug case would “have a negative impact on society”.
However, the order has now been challenged before the Additional District and Sessions Judge (East).
Natasha pardoned by victims’ family in Karsaz case
The case of the fatal driving-under-the-influence accident that occurred on Karsaz Road in Karachi has reached its end after matters were settled between suspect Natasha and the victims’ families.
Geo reported on Friday morning that the family of deceased Imran Arif and Amna Arif have prepared affidavits that will be presented today in today’s hearing of Natasha’s bail application.
As per the reports, the heirs of the father and daughter who died in the accident will submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC).
The NOC will be submitted by Imran Arif’s wife on behalf of his son Osama Arif and the other daughter.
“We have forgiven the accused, in the name of Allah, the Most Merciful and the Most Merciful,” says the affidavit being shared on social media, implying that matters have been settled between the two parties.
The affidavit also states that the victims’ family have no objection to granting bail to the suspect because the accident that happened was not deliberate, and they have given this certificate without any pressure.
Earlier 92 News reported Natasha Iqbal, the main suspect in the driving-under-the-influence fatal accident that killed a father and daughter at Karsaz in Karachi, will pay deeyat (blood money) to the relatives of the victims, multiple journalists are reporting.
According to 92 News’ Shahid Hussain, as of Friday morning, the family of the victims has forgiven Natasha and will be paid a hefty deeyat amount. One relative might also get a job in the rich suspect’s company.
Journalist Asad Toor shared affidavits allegedly showing the No-Objection Certificates the family has handed over to the court.
Conflicting reports: Natasha forgiven ‘in the name of Allah’, no Diyat taken, reports Dawn
The lawyer for the victims in the Karsaz case, Barrister Aziz Ghouri has denied the claims that diyat (blood money) was paid to the family, saying that the suspect was pardoned “in the name of Allah”, as per Dawn News.
“[They have forgiven the suspect] out of court in the name of Allah”, according to the affidavit that has come forward,“ he asserted.
“They (the family) are saying that they have forgiven because those who forgive have the highest stature,” he added while dismissing reports of bloodmoney being taken by the aggrieved party.
Earlier, news platforms stated that Rs 5.5 crore was being taken as diyat compensation.
The defence counsel, Advocate Amir Mansoob Qureshi, has also told Dawn that he is “not aware” of any compensation provided to the victims’ family.
He also revealed that the court had not placed travel restrictions on Natasha and that his client could leave the country if she wanted, adding that the matter is resolved because the family has pardoned her.
The courts have granted Natasha bail in the accident case, but Dawn’s Ishaq Tanoli reported that she would remain under custody until the conclusion of the narcotics case.
Natasha and her husband’s bails were set for Rs100,000 and Rs50,000, respectively.
Natasha to stay in jail until narcotics case resolved
The hearing for the narcotics case is to be held on Monday. However, Jibran Nasir opined in a post on X that “unfortunately this FIR will likely be quashed because the wrong section has been applied by the Police. Methamphetamine (Ice or Crystal Meth) is not a scheduled drug under the 1979 Order [Hudood law]. The Correct section to apply should have been either Section 9(2) or Section 16 of the Control of Narcotics Substances Act 1997 as Methamphetamine is a prohibited psychotropic drug under the 1997 Act.”
Notably, these offences are also non compoundable meaning the accused would have to face trial.
Complainant’s counsel Barrister Aziz Ghouri (L) meets defence counsel Advocate Amir Mansoob Qureshi outside sessions court on Friday. — Photo courtesy: Screengrab taken from a video provided by the author
Victims’ lawyer denies claims of family accepting diyat
Victims’ lawyer Barrister Uzair Ali has told the media that his clients Amna and Imran Arif’s family informed him about pardoning Natasha early today. He also made it a point to mention that the victims’ family has not taken blood money.
The Current spoke with Jibran Nasir to understand the course of the case, as a list of non-compoundable charges pressed against her is still intact. These are the charges stated, i.e., police have pressed against her, and they can only be solved if the court finds them redeemable.
“Family has settled, which means they can’t care less what happens to the case,” he makes it a point to mention. “Separate proceedings will now take place for the court to recognise the settlement, which will result in dropping all compoundable charges,” he said regarding the upcoming hearing.
Commenting on the non-compoundable charges, he said, “As for non-compoundable ones, the accused’s lawyer will try to get around and mislead the court. It would be up to the prosecutor and the Judge to ensure those charges stay.”
Victims’ family accepts Rs. 5.5 Crore in Diyat in Karsaz case: ARY
ARY’s Asghar Umer has reported that the victims’ family has accepted 5.5 crore rupees as Diyat. One member of the family will also be given a job in one of Natasha Danish’s companies as part of the deal in the affidavit.
Natasha’s bail approved for 1 lac rupees
Geo’s Amin Anwer reported that during the hearing, the victim’s lawyer told the court that the matters were settled between his client and the accused’s side. After that, the court granted Natasha bail for one lac rupees.
Jibran Nasir says he is not part of the Karsaz case
On Thursday, September 5, lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir, reported to be representing the deceased Amna Arif and her father in the Karsaz case, announced that despite his efforts, he has been unable to contact the victims’ family.
“Hence, though I can comment on the case for public awareness purposes based on information made available through media I am not in a position to either represent or make any comments on behalf of the family,” he posted.
A local court in Karachi issued notices to the prosecutor and complainant on Wednesday, September 4, summoning them on September 6 in the Karsaz accident case.
On the other hand, Natasha Danish has filed a post-arrest bail application for Friday in the Karsaz traffic accident case.
Validity of British nationality and driving license
The defence lawyer, Aamir Mansoob Qureshi, submitted copies of Natasha’s passport and driving licence in court, stating that his client possesses British nationality and has a valid UK driving licence until 2031.
He claimed that the British driving licence was internationally recognised and valid under Pakistani law for six months after arrival in the country.
According to the council, she landed in Pakistan from London on August 2, which means she can legally drive there. He also argued that the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) section is “neither applicable nor can be inserted in this case”.
The court summoned the deputy district public prosecutor (East), the investigating officer (IO), and the complainant for September 6.
Bail in drug case
Natasha Danish’s lawyer has also pleaded before the Judicial Magistrate (East) to seek bail in a drug case. The magistrate then issued notices to the complainant and the state prosecutor for September 6.
The defence lawyer contested in court, stating that his client was innocent and falsely implicated in a case under Section 322 (punishment for qatl-bis-sabab) of the Pakistan Penal Code with “malafide intentions and ulterior motives”.
Medical reports
Natasha’s lawyer has also submitted her medical record of the ongoing psychiatric treatment at the Aga Khan Hospital that began 19 years ago. He argued that his client’s “judgment and perception were impaired, rendering her unable to foresee the consequences of her actions.”
“Her [the suspect’s] medical condition significantly diminished her capacity to anticipate the outcomes, making it impossible for her to foresee any potential harm,” Advocate Qureshi argued.
“The alleged incident was not a result of wilful negligence but rather an unforeseen accident possibly exacerbated by her medical condition,” he said, adding that it was “unjustifiable and excessive” to add Sections 322 and 320 (punishment for qatl-i-khata by rash or negligent driving) of the Pakistan Penal Code in the FIR.
Contending the delay in results
Lawyer Qureshi elaborated on the prosecution’s “malafide intention” by contending that the Investigating Officer collected the blood and urine samples on August 19 and submitted them for examination on August 21 with a two-day delay.
“Therefore, the samples so collected could not be said to be in safe custody/ without any break of a chain of safe custody,” he argued.
The counsel also mentioned that the IO had moved an application before the magistrate on August 22 to obtain blood samples of his client again, stating that he wanted to cross-check the sample with the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences at Karachi University.
However, the court dismissed the plea, declaring that a report on the blood samples had already been awaited.
Advocate Qureshi claimed that despite the court’s dismissal, the IO approached the jail authority and collected the blood sample “illegally and unlawfully under his nefarious design just to manipulate the samples to obtain a chemical examiner report of his own choice”.
Natasha’s husband gets interim bail
After taking protective bail from the Sindh High Court, Danish Iqbal, husband of suspect Natasha Danish, surrendered before the trial court and moved an application before the sessions court, seeking interim bail on Wednesday.
After hearing his counsel, the court granted him interim bail against a surety bond of Rs. 100,000.
However, the court issued notices for September 6 to the deputy district public prosecutor (East) for confirmation or otherwise.
Details of the September 2 hearing
The IO appeared before Judicial Magistrate (East) Muhammad Raza Ansari, while the suspect, Natasha, appeared in court on Monday via video link from the prison.
The proceedings of the case are as follows:
Exemption from in-person appearance
The court allowed the suspect to be exempt from an in-person appearance after the defence lawyer moved an application under Section 540 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.
Deputy District Prosecutor (East) Muhammad Younus told Dawn that the exemption might have been granted due to “security concerns”.
Charges of driving under the influence added
The IO also informed the court that Section 100 (driving while under the influence of drink or drugs) of the Provincial Motor Vehicles Ordinance, 1965 have also been included in the FIR.
CCTV footage sent to Punjab Forensic agency
He further stated in front of the judge that CCTV footage of the incident had been sent to Punjab Forensic Science Agency as per routine practice of the Sindh police due to the lack of sophisticated equipment in the provincial labs.
Letter written to UK High Commission
Additionally, a letter has been written to the UK High Commission to verify Natasha’s UK driving license. The IO also mentioned that letters had been sent to the concerned union council of the area and the traffic DIG regarding the damage to public property but their responses are still awaited.
Condition of injured motorcyclist Abdul Salam
When the court inquired about the condition of the injured persons, including Abdul Salam who was shifted to a ventilator due to critical condition, the IO informed the court that their condition had improved and provided details about the injuries they sustained.
Request for additional time to submit interim challan
The IO requested the court for a period of 14 more days to submit the interim challan, stating that the responses to the letters were pending. After hearing the IO, the court granted three days and directed him to submit the interim challan by Sept 5.
Hudood charges added, Investigating Officer allowed to grill Natasha in Karsaz case
On Saturday, August 30, a local court allowed an investigation team to grill Natasha Danish, the suspect in the Karsaz accident case, who is currently in jail. Additionally, a fresh case under the Hudood law has also been registered against her because of alleged drug use.
Natasha Danish was arrested and sent to a women’s prison on judicial remand on August 21.
However, on August 31, Sub-Inspector Shakir Rind, the investigating officer of the case, filed an application before Judicial Magistrate Javed Ali Korejo, seeking permission to interrogate the suspect in a new FIR lodged under Section 11 (drinking liable to tazir) of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order, 1979.
In his order, the judicial magistrate stated that medico-legal officer Dr Zainab Irshad had issued a final medico-legal certificate (MLC) and said that it had been confirmed that the suspect was under the influence of methamphetamine, commonly called ‘ice’, at the time of the incident.
Thus, based on this report, a new FIR was lodged against the suspect at the Bahadurabad police station. Since it was a cognizable offence, the investigating officer was fully empowered to arrest the suspect, who is already in judicial custody, after adopting all legal formalities as per law in prison.
Hudood Law
On Friday, the Bahadurabad police filed a fresh case under the Hudood law against Natasha Danish based on her medical report.
Bahadurabad police Station House Officer Mohammed Naeem Rajput informed Dawn that a separate FIR was registered against Danish under Section 11 (drinking liable to tazir) of the Prohibition (Enforcement of Hadd) Order (PEHO) of 1979.
Section 11 of the Hudood Order states that those found guilty of drinking but not liable for hadd punishment (as ordained by the Holy Quran or Sunnah) will instead be liable for tazir (any punishment other than hadd). The punishment may include imprisonment for up to three years, whipping not exceeding thirty stripes, or both.
The law was invoked after medical reports confirmed that Natasha was under the influence of meth crystal.
Meanwhile, police surgeon Dr Summaiya Syed confirmed that Natasha’s “chemical analysis report is positive for methamphetamine in the urine sample.”
The FIR also states that, in her final report dated August 29, the police surgeon said the suspect was under the influence of methamphetamine at the time of the accident around 6:30 p.m. on August 19.
If she is found guilty she could be punished with imprisonment of a term which may extend to three years or with whipping not exceeding thirty stripes or with both.
On the other hand, Jibran Nasir argued in a post on X that he could not understand why the PEHO law was invoked, as the scheduled drugs under this law did not include crystal meth, nor was there any notification or amendment adding the narcotic to the schedule.
He claimed that an offence could only be made out under the Hudood law if the drugs included in its scheduled list were consumed.
Earlier, a case was registered against the suspect with provisions of murder and attempted murder.
The Current talked to lawyer and activist Jibran Nasir about the legal course of action available for the prosecution in light of the revelation. He explained that offences under the Provincial Motor Vehicle Ordinance 1965 would be added for driving under the influence of a prohibited drug. “Another section under the Control of Narcotics Substances Act 1997 (as amended in 2022) will be added for consumption of a drug,” he added.
However, when asked if the nature of the case would change now, Jibran replied, “It will still remain manslaughter due to rash and negligent driving.”
Explaining further, he asserted that “It cannot be termed a murder because the drugs were not consumed with the intention to run over somebody.”
Notably, Natasha is still in police custody as a local court sent her on judicial remand for 14 days.
Prohibited substance found in Natasha’s urine: medical report
The presence of prohibited substance was found in the urine samples of the accused woman who killed the father and daughter riding a motorcycle and injured a few others on Karsaz Road.
Sindh Inspector General Police Ghulam Nabi Memon also confirmed the presence of crystal meth in her medical report. “The medical report confirms that she was under the influence of the drug methamphetamine,” he told Dawn.
He said the driver’s medical reports were issued by the medical examiner’s office for the Sindh Government Services Hospital.
The police have received the medical report of the vehicle’s driver, Natasha Danish.
Geo’s Kashif Mushtaq reports that the presence of prohibited substances was found in urine samples of Natasha. However, the police has sealed the medical report for 2 to 3 days.
The luxury vehicle Natasha used in the Karsaz accident is registered in the name of a private company. The police team has decided to detain the owner of the vehicle for investigation.
Delay of medical report
On August 25, it was reported that the suspect’s medical report had not come out yet. Geo noted that it may take another two to three days. Samples received from the suspect have also been sent to two different laboratories, one in Karachi and one in Lahore.
Investigative sources assert that the medical report will lead to progress in the investigation.
British driving license confirmed
The investigation team has confirmed that Natasha has a British driving license but an investigation into her foreign nationality is still going on.
Charges of manslaughter added
Investigative sources have also said that the case was weakened by adding sections 320 (punishment for qatl-i-khata by rash or negligent driving), 337-G (punishment for hurt by rash or negligent driving), 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees) of the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), all of which were bailable offences.
However, the magistrate in the local court added that during the investigation, the Investigation Officer had added Section 322 (manslaughter) of the PPC, which is a non-bailable offence.
Investigative sources say that in the case of murder, the death penalty can be 10 to 18 years in prison. The family of the victim can take the amount of blood money equal to the value of 30 thousand 360 grams of silver. As per the rate of silver this year, the amount of blood money could be around 68 lakh 50 thousand rupees. If the blood money is taken, the case will be over.
New footage of the incident has gone viral. In it, the accused can be seen threatening a spectator with a raised finger, saying, “Tum mere baba ko nahi janty. ” This can be translated as “You don’t know my father.”
In the video, she is surrounded by a huge crowd while she is protected by a group of rangers. Several social media criticized her for showing no remorse even after having killed two and injuring others.
Amna’s uncle’s interview
Amna Arif’s uncle and Imran Arif’s brother said that Natasha’s team had not approached them with any offers to influence their stance.
Amna’s uncle, Imtiaz Arif, told the media that Pakistan People’s Party MNA Sharmila Farooqui met Imran’s wife and assured her that the Sindh government would cooperate with them until the suspect was punished.
Imtiaz said, “At the beginning of the case, there was a despair that justice would not be served, but because of some people, there is now hope that the accused will be punished.”
On the question of a deal, Amna’s uncle said, “No, we have not been offered any deal by the suspect, nor has there been any meeting in this regard, nor has our family any interest in it.”
He further said that under Section 322 of the Penal Code, the accused should be punished to set an example in society.
Natasha’s mental condition
While her husband has claimed that she has been a psychiatric patient for some years, the doctors at Jinnah Hospital have declared her mental condition to be fine, reported Dawn News.
New CCTV footage showing SUV ramming the car
Geo News has revealed that new CCTV footage has emerged in the Karsaz accident case. The video shows that Natasha, the woman accused of killing a father and daughter on their motorcycle, hit a white car on the same road moments before the fatal collision.
It can also be seen that as she hit the white car that came in front of her SUV, she slowed down for a moment and then sped up. Natasha hit the rear door of the white car, and she also hit two people on a motorcycle behind that car, causing them to fall from the bike. After that, the woman escaped by driving fast.
The video also reveals that citizens and security guards immediately gathered after the incident.
In the CCTV footage, the time of the incident is recorded as 11 past six in the evening.
She then hit the father and daughter on the motorcycle, causing their death on the spot.
Geo reports that police sources say that the woman was driving her car at high speed while fleeing from the previous incident and thus collided with the bike carrying the father and daughter.
A court in Karachi has sent the woman accused of killing a father and daughter and injuring five others at Karsaz has been sent to jail on judicial remand.
The suspect appeared before the court with her face covered.
The case pertaining to the death of father and daughter was heard in the local court on August 21, where the police produced the accused in the court of a Judicial Magistrate.
Geo News’ Amin Anwer reported that the police requested the accused’s remand for 14 days, on which the accused’s lawyer stated the provisions against his client were bailable. The investigating officer responded that Section 322 has been added to the case for murder, and Section 322 is non-bailable.
The court asked the accused if the police tortured her, to which the woman said no.
DIG-Traffic Ahmad Nawaz Cheema told Dawn that a Toyota Prado driven in an ‘extremely negligent manner’ by a woman hit a motorcycle while negotiating a turn from Tipu Sultan Road towards the service road of Muslim League House. The car then hit two more motorcycles and overturned after colliding with a parked car on the road.
Samaa News reported that the driver has been identified as Natasha, who was arrested by the police. Her car has been impounded. She was found to own a British driving license.
The victims, Imran Arif, 60, and his 22-year-old daughter, Amna, residents of Scheme 33, were taken to the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, where they succumbed to their injuries.
The videos of a woman being held by a crowd after the accident emerged on Tuesday, August 20, whereas the accident occurred on Monday evening when an uncontrolled vehicle crushed a motorcyclist and other pedestrians on Karsaz Road, killing a motorcyclist’s father and daughter and injuring five people.
Geo News reported that the lawyer deemed the suspect a ‘psychiatric patient’ who has been under treatment for mental stress for the past five years—a claim corroborated by her husband.
A first information report of the traffic accident was registered on the complaint of Imran Arif, the brother of the deceased.
Samaa reports that the woman driver suffered a head injury and was taken to Jinnah Hospital.
Police also initiated a medical examination to determine if she was under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
Geo reports that, in her initial statement, she stated that the unfortunate incident occurred because of overspeeding.
What does the friend of Ntasha has to say about her?
The Current talked to a close friend of Natasha, and she asserted that Natasha is openly against drugs and alcohol. She is known to be a level-headed woman, a mother of three children, a daughter and two boys. She described her reaction after the accident as a state of shock because she neither drinks nor smokes.
The friend made it a point to mention that even the mob pushing and hitting her and making videos of her is a typical display of mob mentality and violates her sanctity as a person.
What do relatives of Amna and her father have to say about them?
The relatives of the father and daughter expressed grief over their passing. Imran’s brother said that my brother was a pious man. “He loved her daughter like Prophet (PBJUH) loved His,” he shared sadly. Another uncle demanded justice for Amna and her father.
The neighbours told Aaj News that Imran used to sell finger chips and worked really hard to support his eldest daughter’s education. The family slowly became stable with Amna’s job, yet this accident changed everything. According to an Aaj News correspondent, the family is now suffering, and the mother has lost consciousness.
Amna did her MBA from Karachi University. In one of her colleagues’ social media posts, she said that she specialized in Data Science. Her last text is being shared widely, in which she referred to herself as an MBA student asking to fill out a survey for her thesis.
The colleague talked to The Current, and he shared, “Amna was a humble and determined individual, dedicated to supporting her middle-class family and their future goals. She had a very amiable nature, supporting her friends during challenging times, and exuded a cheerful personality. Her dream was to complete her MBA after she took on the responsibility for all her family members.”
Amna worked as a Business Consultant for the Systems Limited. In a viral social media post, the company has made an Obituary Announcement in Amna’s honour.
Kanwal Ahmed, the founder of Soul Sisters Pakistan, recently shared a screenshot of the deceased victim, Amna Arif’s note for her mother, which she posted in the group where she expressed gratitude for her sacrifices. In a heartfelt note, Amna said that her mother sold clothes just to meet the expenses of her education. “Her sacrifices knew no bounds. She put her own dreams on hold and sold clothes from home to provide with us with the best education we deserved. Her selflessness was unparalleled,” she had recounted.
Veteran journalist Mohammad Malick has disclosed details of the disappearance of Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman prior to the passing of the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
After the sudden disappearance of Senator Faisal Saleem Rehman on October 16, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) social media team vehemently criticised him, alleging that the Senator was not kidnapped but in self-hiding, leading to some social media members calling him a “traitor.”
However, contrary to PTI’s social media team,s narrative, Mohammad Malick has disclosed the other side of the story.
In his talk show KHABAR, the journalist claimed that after the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, which concluded on October 16 in Islamabad, Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman was abducted not by security agencies but by a Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) bigwig leader.
One of the following four PTI leaders, including Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Ali Amin Gandapur, Opposition Leader of the National Assembly Omar Ayub Khan, former Speaker NA Asad Qaiser, and leader of opposition in Senate Shibli Faraz, was involved in the kidnapping of Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman, Malick has alleged.
“Senator Rahman was in Islamabad; he was directed to reach Peshawar by one of the PTI leaders in a phone call. When Rehman was on his way to Peshawar, he got kidnapped before arriving at KP capital. One PTI leader was in constant contact with Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman and was repeatedly asking for his location.”
“I have seen those messages, telephone calls, track records,” Muhammad Malick concluded.
The ruling coalition had lacked the requisite numbers to pass the 26th Constitutional Amendment from parliament. However, it was speculated that Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman might vote in favour of the constitutional amendment against his party’s decision.
Prominent journalist Azaz Syed, while speaking on the YouTube channel Talk SHOCK, had claimed that there is a possibility that Senator Faisal Saleem Rahman could vote for the constitutional amendment.
However, after the Senate passed the constitutional amendment, the ruling coalition claimed that no opposition party senator had voted for the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
Only one company, Blue World City, completed requirements to enter the bidding process for a stake in the country’s flag carrier, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA).
Blue World City is a real estate project based in Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Journalist Shahid Aslam reported that there are “almost 215 FIRs registered against the company owners with charges ranging from murder, illegal weapons, injuring people, and illegal occupation of land.”
The Privatisation Commission had initially pre-qualified six bidders, including Fly Jinnah, a consortium led by YB Hol¬dings (Pvt) Ltd, Airblue Ltd, a consortium led by Pak Ethanol (Pvt) Ltd, Arif Habib Corporation Ltd, and Blue World City.
It was also reported that initially, government members did not think of Blue World City, a real estate company, as a serious contender for PIA.
The Commission shortlisted the six companies after an extensive review based on technical, financial, and documentary requirements, inviting them to proceed with the next stage of the bidding process to start buy-side due diligence.
However, out of all the six qualified bidders, only one chose to submit “earnest money” prior to final bidding.
Earnest money is a deposit made to a seller that represents a buyer’s good faith in making a purchase.
The successful bidder would own a 51 percent stake in PIA and 100 percent of the airline’s share capital, along with management control.
Business Recorder reported that the owner of Blue World City was also looking into acquiring operations at the Islamabad International Airport, which the government is looking to outsource.
As part of the IMF conditions for structural reforms, the government decided to privatise PIA as in 2023, it reported a loss of over Rs 75 billion.
PIA has a debt load of around Rs800 billion ($2.9 billion), and the government has needed to bail it out multiple times over the years.
Journalist Shahid Aslam also reported that the management of Blue World City also owns the media group Suno TV. According to Aslam, the management of the Blue World City is “run by retired Generals – Arif Waraich and Sajjad Rasool – who served in ISI.”
Aslam claimed that “Gen (retd) Arif Warraich served as the DG SCT (ISI) in 2014-15 and is now serving at a Director level in Suno TV’s management. While Gen (retd) Sajjad Rasool served as DGS Security & Administration in ISI, and he is also part of the core management team at Suno TV.”
Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Faisal Karim Kundi on Tuesday ruled out any scenario of the possible acquittal of the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan.
“Chiriya, Kabootar sab uraa lain, Imran Khan release nahi hu saktay,” Kundi claimed in an interview with Samaa.
Speaking about the former first lady Bushra Bibi’s involvement in politics after her acquittal, Faisal Karim Kundi added: “PTI leaders say that Bushra Bibi is a non-political woman, however, if she is non-political why she did go to Peshawar? Obviously, she is not visiting Peshawar for the sake of shopping.”
“There is no need to hide it: Bushra Bibi is active in politics and has been involved in it before as well through Farah Gogi (Farhat Shahzadi),” Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa maintained.
Addressing PTI’s recent complaint over Imran being mistreated in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi, Kundi advised the party to watch Khan’s suggestions from past rallies to see how prisoners in Pakistan should be treated.”
“Seven-star hotels, refrigerators for medicine, TV, chicken meals should not be served to prisoners in jail, and only jailer’s food menu should be served to the prisoner,” Faisal Karim Kundi reminded PTI’s leadership while recalling Imran Khan’s past remarks on jail facilities.
Recently, Aleema Khan, Imran Khan’s sister, talked to journalists and claimed that her brother is facing a lack of facilities in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi.
Aleema Khan also alleged that Imran Khan vomited after consuming unhygienic food in jail, and the power in her brother’s cell was disconnected since October 3.
Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur, on Monday, in a video message posted on X (formerly Twitter), warned to shut down the whole country with protests if complaints regarding mistreatment from founder PTI Imran Khan continued.
“We have to get rid of this government by shutting down the whole of Pakistan and take the stolen mandate back,” Gandapur stated.
